Would religious people be happier if they just believed in God, instead of grabbing onto religious dogma that.

Question

just confuses them and sends them off into many religions and denominations?

Answer 1

What an excellent question. Perhaps that's because I personally believe in God, but not the concept of organized religion. You know those tax free political organizations that use only certain passages from their Holly books to increase their political power in governments and to hurt people that do not believe in their particular brand of righteousness.

Which is a sacrilege in itself in any religion.

Answer 2

Huh? I'm forever studying the Bible. When I put it to historical events and context, it gives things a whole new meaning.
The story of the Prodigal Son. Most people focus on the older brother and his snit for having stayed only to see his younger brother's return and treatment like royalty. The part most people miss is that the younger brother told the old man that he thought the old man's ways were stupid and proclaimed the old man dead to him. In the Jewish faith that was absolutely heart wrenching. The old man, probably fell to his knees crying and carrying on so. Throwing sand in his hair and tearing at his clothes. He just lost his youngest son. The kid returns a few years later, knowing he's really screwed the pooch on this one and is expecting the old man to REALLY rake him over the coals. Instead the old man throws him a huge party and welcomes him back with open arms. Can you just imagine the joy of being told that it was a mistake and that it wasn't your child that died? It's all about forgiveness. The older brother stayed and worked the farm while the kid went off and tasted the world. The older brother expected that he deserved more for having stayed. Was he pissed? Yep! Did he forgive his younger brother or his father? Not likely.
Trouble with the denominational thing is that most preachers don't see it as I do. So, what? I should get mad and go start my own church? People pick and choose which laws they will abide by and which they won't. The speed limit's posted as 55 MPH. Chances are, you go 60. Should you get pulled over for speeding, you'll whine piss and moan about how everyone else is doing it so it wasn't REALLY speeding. Going 55 exactly suddenly makes you a hard line fundimentalist. Why can't you just give a little and be more like everyone else?

Answer 3

The problem is a bit more complex. Religion (whether you "bbelieve" in one or not) is a set of social norms and mores--we all have such a belief system, whether we realize it or not.

The problems start when some people--out of selfishness, bigotry, greed, or lust for power, start distorting the teachings of religions to their own ends. It soesn't matter if this is calculated--or the result of fanaticism. Either way, the result is more than "unhappieness"--it is death, war, and destruction.

All of the great religions teach essentially the same message--moral behavior, peace, etc. Itd is in the hands of demagogues and extremists that we get abominations like the "Christian fundamentalists" in America and the "Islamic fundamentalists" in the Moslem world.

But--don't make the mistake of blaming "religion"--you see the same thing with suposedly non-religious belief systems--you only need to look as far as the former Soviet Union or todays North Korea to see that.

The problem is simply that some people are evil. Not philosophies, religious or secular. But--these animals will continue to divide and destroy until decent people--of any faith or none--all over the world --realize the extremist, the demagogue, the fanatic--is our common enemy--whether "Christian," "Islamic," "Nazi," "Communist," or under any other lablel.

Answer 4

The truly religious already do this. Others are using religion for power, so dogma is preferred.

Answer 5

there is no god but God

Answer 6

that's what I do.